Festuca glyceriantha

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; robust, or of moderate stature; straight; 35–60 cm long; 0 -noded; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes without exudate; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline; 0–2 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tight; unthickened at base; open for most of their length; without keel; striately veined; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.6 mm long; membranous; white; pubescent on abaxial surface; entire; acute. Leaf-blade base symmetrical. Leaf-blades straight; conduplicate; linear in section, or angular in section; 8–25 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; coriaceous; firm; yellowish green, or light green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct, or evident. Leaf-blade venation indistinct, or distinct; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation, or with sclerenchyma strands widened to form a discontinuous subepidermal layer. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; puberulous; moderately hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; with 1 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle terete; eglandular; glabrous.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate; continuous, or interrupted; dense; equilateral, or secund; straight; 8–25 cm long; evenly furnished, or contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous. Rhachilla internodes 2–3 mm long; smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower narrower than upper; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; light brown; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.5–6 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; mid-green; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; symmetrical; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; mid-green, or light brown, or dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.5–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3–3.7 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Stancik 2005.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.